Coding device



Sept. Y, 954 Q NEFF 2,688,198

CODING DEVICE Filed Jan. 9, 1951 Ihweutor SIDNEY L. NEFF 22 E .f4/@MM "ff/G. 6. --W

Gt'rorneus Ik i Patented Sept. 7, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to coding devices, by the use of which messages may be quickly and conveniently converted to code form, and thereafter, when desired, may be quickly and conveniently translated back to the original.

It is customary for governments, businesses, and other institutions, as well as for certain individuals, to transmit confidential messages to others in the form of secret code. This is particularly true in instances of messages transmitted or recorded in writing, especially during wartime.

Various devices have heretofore been developed for either placing a message in secret code as it is being written, or for aiding a person to write or transmit a message in secret code. The former are usually key-operated machines; the latter are most often devices which embody the alphabet, numbers, and other characters used in formulating a message, in suitable correlation with similar or other characters used for code purposes, to the end that a person may visually substitute a different character for that normally used in spelling out a message. The device of the invention is of this latter type.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of the type concerned wherein there is no set or predetermined relationship between the normally used characters and the code characters or abracadabra, and wherein the relationship between the two may be easily altered and retained securely in the altered position, thereby affording an extremely wide range of different codes in which a message may be put by the use of a single compact and simple mechanism.

Another object is to provide, in the device, a plurality of possible code characters for each normal character, so that the user may select at random which he will use, and thereby produce a coded message which conforms to no set pattern.

I prefer to construct the device of cylindrical elements, having approximately uniform diameter and carrying the characters concerned on their respective outside circumferential rims. These elements are mounted in side-by-side relationship on a common longitudinal axis, so they may be easily compared visually. Other elements, presenting what are essentially endless band circumferential surfaces carrying endless series of characters, may be employed, however, within the purview of the invention, for it is the manner in which such elements are associated and mounted relative to one another which make possible the new results of the invention.

A feature of the invention resides in the fact that the element which carries the normal characters is xed against travel about the common axis or axes, as the case may be, while those which carry the code characters are mounted for individual travel about said axis or axes. Means, such as one or more knurled thumb nuts threaded on an axis shaft, are provided for tern-Y porarily clamping or otherwise locking the movable elements against the stationary element to preclude travel relative to one another and to the stationary element, thereby enabling the device to be set by the user for visually giving an axially extending series of code characters for each normal character.

Another feature is that the code characters of any given series are different from those of any other series.

In the use of the device, selection by the user of various ones of the possible code characters from that axially extending series which corresponds to a particular normal character, as the latter is repeated during the course of a message, makes possible the coding of such message without repeating-or at least without always usingthe same code character for a particular normal character, Thus, in effect, each setting of the device gives a code having no pre-established formation. This makes breaking of the code virtually impossible.

Furthermore, rotation of one or more of the rotatable elements between the times of coding individual messages, and re-locking the device in the new setting, means that no two messages need be coded in the same code. The more rotatable cylindrical elements there are and the more side-by-side, circumferential series of code characters there are on these rotatable elements, the greater the number of different codes, and of differences within the individual codes, possible from a particular device.

An optional feature of the invention is the provision, in combination with the above, of one or more movable elements which are not locked against movement when the other elements are locked, thereby supplying auxiliary coding possibilities for the device. This is made possible by a unique mounting arrangement correlated structurally with the arrangement referred to above.

Further objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the particular preferred form illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of the particular preferred form of the device;

Fig. 2, an end elevation looking from the left in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, a central vertical section taken primarily but not entirely on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a transverse vertical section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5, a similar section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 6, a similar section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing: the device illus-L trated comprises a plurality of cylindrical elements of approximately the same'ou'tside'diameter mounted side-by-side onavcomvmon longitudinal axis.

One of the cylindrical elements, here indicated" ID, is fixed by any suitable means, for example integrally, to an axiallyextendingfshaft I I," intermediate the length-thereof in-this 1 instance, so -thatshaft portions. project atfopposite sides forrota'tably receiving other cylindrical elements.

Rotatablyv mountedon thecshaft portion. at'

oneside of the stationary 'element I0, are, in this particular instance, two'fcylindricalelements I2.

I8; which extends-froma .knurleclfthunfibV nut I 9;'

and' is'-1concentric.- withan'd. closely: encircles `one endfoithe 'shaft' I I.' Suchshaft endlis-threaded; andthe thumb nut fitsover and screws onto it,

andfI ff-'against' the stationary. element f I 0; in "any given set-position, when tightened, .thereby lock ing such Irotatable-.elements iniset position with.-l out affecting. rotatability' of vthe cylindrical ele--v In the illustrated instance," the' ments I6 and I1. elements-2 I Bandl I 1 arerigidly;joined'togetherf'by means of .screws 20'.

screwsnntothe threaded 'opposite'endof' the shaft 4 II; andyb'y bearingagainst-the outer face fof the cylindrical element I3,A when tightened, locks such elementV I3 and its associated `element 12,. in any,

given set position, against the stationary elementIIl.V

Thus, the stationary cylindrical element Iii serves as a reactionmember against which the several' normallyv rotatable. Cylindrical elements are clamped by the action' of the thumb'- nuts Iil`r and 2 I. y

Theentire `assembly'is` rotatably' mountedv in spaced uprights 22a of a cradle frame 22, this being 'conveniently accomplished bymerely'resting shaft portions -VIQa-and 21a/Lof ith'e respective thumb -nuts-l inreceiving; recessesi 23' of the upf;

rights 22a. i

Thei several cylindrical elements? haveY` their outer circumferential'surfacesvmarkedfwth cir-'- cumferential'series offcharacters.. In the illus-'f trated instance,I thesearestampeddirectly upon the surfaces concerned. The stationary element y the word designation of numbers.

IB is marked with the normally used characters t0 be transposed into code characters. Such normally used characters are generally the letters of the alphabet and essential punctuation marks, but they also may advantageously include the numerical digits. The element I is preferably slightly greater in diameter than the other cylindrical elements, as shown, so as to stand out prominently in the grou-p of elements and be easily seen as a starting` point in the visual transposition of characters.

The rotatable element I2 to the left of stationu ary element IU, whose breadth is several times the..breadth of the element I0, has its circumferential outer surface marked with several sideby-sidecircumferential series of mutually diierent code characters of any desired nature, for example those shown in Fig. l. Thus, such code characters `may be numbers, numbers primed or double primed, letters of the alphabet, and/or letters-1 of thefalphabet with". suitable* auxiliary markings..v

The rotatable element :I 3l," alsozto the left of theistationary element Iii, carriesaalsimilarcircumeferentialseriescf vdifferent code characters cnw' its outercircumferential surface.

The individual code. characters'- in the, several; series comprehended' .byy the. elements. I i), I 2: and I3Lare'preferably separated from the immediately@ adjacent characters.' in the 'same series-by means". of .transverse lines Yas illustrated; which lineseare` similarly spaced about the circumferences ofl the-f .suppliecli as part' of: thelv device.. In, the-r form: shown,l sucn'straight'edge:2l1has depending legs.,r

24a at oppositezends thereof-whichvr areppivoted/ tottherespective uprights 22al of* the framef 225` by' means ofafshaft 25; Thus,ithe straight edge` 2li may, Io'ei'pushed` back out 'of :the way if fdesireclyf.l or: may be :placedsinl ai useful-position :overhanging'the rotatable group'of -cylindrica1 elements,= as'illustrated; For positioning-suchstraight:edge. in. its useful 'position :irmnediatelyvabove, but-,out f of:v Contact with; the group'mf cylindricalr` ele-p ments; thumb nuts v'I -iandf2 I I arefadvantageouslyfprovided.v with- A circumferential shouldersy f I Strand 2 Ib providing;` abutment' stops vfory the. respective.. legs 24a.-

The rotatable element I 4--to' thee-right ot. sta-..- tionaryg element Wenas lits fouter-v circumferential surface-:marked si-m-ilarlyto thatvoi the element.- I3; but'with ldifferent code characters,.while.,thebroader rotatable element I5.. carries. a similar. singley circumferential series-.- of. different. code. characters .and a therewith `aligned,.circumferentialfseriesofcwords, which, in this .in'stance, Vare The. joined elements IG and I1 vare similarly marked;L that is to say, the element I6 carries a singlecircum"'v ferential series. of different code, characters,r while j the-element' I1'carries a therewith aligned" cir= cumferential series of,word's, which, in' this in= stance, are commonly` used verbs, etci', ,and names ofvariousthings..

In theuse` of the deviceillustratedj' the rotatvl ablecylindrical elements I0; I'2j' I3; I4A and" I5"- are,- set Vin .any desired position` which' aligns-char' acters `andcharacter dividing' lines transverselyv of the device, whereuponthethumb' nuts llt-and- 2i are tightened te lock the several elements in their set position. 'I'he straight edge 24 is advantageously employed to facilitatethe aligning operation. As explained hereinbefore, tightening of the thumb nuts serves to clamp the normally rotatable elements tightly against the stationary element ID, thereby precluding rotation of such cylindrical elements, except as a group in the cradle support 22. It should be noted, however, that the joined cylindrical elements I6 and I1 remain freely rotatable on their sleevemounting I8.

A message is spelled out in code by selecting, for each letter, word space, or other component, a particular code character from the transverse series of code characters aligned with a particular normally used character or other component. For example, with the device set as shown in Fig. l, the words a bad highway may be coded in several different ways. Thus, it may become 11 il 72 V z T 98' or it may become Lg 99 Si 11 65 40 98 and so on through'a wide variety of other combinations of code characters, the word highway being either indicated by the single code character 98' or by several code characters corresponding to the several letters making up the word.

In any instance, the code message has associated therewith the designation of a key, indieating how the recipient must set his device in order to properly decode the message. Such key consists of one character from each of the settable cylindrical elements, here the elements I0, I2, I3, I4 and I5, and from a single transverse series of characters. In the above examples, the key could be ll 1l A 69 and 43, or any similar set of characters taken from other transverse series.

By merely loosening the thumb nuts I9 and 2|, rotating one or more of the rotatable cylindrical elements to any desired extent, and retightening the thumb nuts I9 and 2l, a new and different code arrangement having a different key designation may be obtained. It can be easily seen that the number of possible combinations is tremendous even with a limited number of code-carrying elements, When it is found desirable to change the relationship between the code characters of the element I6 and the words of element I1, these joined elements need merely be slipped olf their sleeve-mounting I8, and re-set by removal and replacement of the screws 20.

Obviously, any convenient number of codecarrying elements may be incorporated in a single device. The particular combination illustrated merely exemplifies the possibilities of the invention. Furthermore, any single rotatable element might have a breadth of any desired multiple of the breadth utilized for a single circumferential series of code characters. Again, any two or more of the rotatable elements may be joined together in the manner here shown for the elements I5 and I1, if found desirable.

Whereas this invention is here illustrated and described with respect to a particular preferred form thereof, it should be understood that various changes, apart from the mere substitution of equivalents, may be made therein and various other constructions may be adopted on the basis of the teachings hereof, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the protective scope of those of the following claims which are generic to the broader inventive concepts disclosed.

I claim:

1. A coding device as described, comprising shaft means; a plurality of character-carrying elements mounted in side-by-side relationship on said shaft means, said elements being of approximately the same configuration and having endless for locking said rotatable elements in selective set positions relative to said fixed element; a circumferential series of normally used characters, including at least the alphabet carried by.

the circumferential surface of said fixed element as a code-translating reference; and corresponding circumferential series of mutually different code characters, which differ from said normally used reference characters, similarly carried by said rotatable elements, enabling the establishment of transversely extending series of mutually different code characters circumferentially of the group of code-carrying elements and in side by side alignment with respective ones of said normally used reference characters.

2. The combination recited in claim l, wherein one or more of the rotatable elements have circumferential surfaces which have breadths several times that of the fixed element and carry several side-by-side disposed, series of code characters.

3. A coding device, comprising a shaft; a plurality of character-carrying cylindrical elements mounted in side-by-side relationship on said shaft as an axis, said elements having` approximately the same outside diameters; means securing one of said elements in xed position on said shaft, others of said elements being independently rotatable on said shaft relative to said xed element; locking means associated with said cylindrical elements for preventing relative movement of those which are rotatable; a circumferential series of normally used characters, including at least the alphabet carried by the circumferential surface of said fixed element as a code-translating reference; and corresponding circumferential series of mutually dierent code characters, which differ from said normally used reference characters, similarly carried by said rotatable elements, enabling the establishment of transversely extending series of mutually different code characters circumferentially of the group of codecarrying elements and in side by side alignment with respective ones of said normally used reference characters.

4. A coding device, comprising a shaft; a plurality of character-carrying cylindrical elements mounted in side-by-side relationship on said shaft as an axis, said elements having approximately the same outside diameter; means securing one of said elements in xed position on said shaft intermediate the length thereof, others of said elements being independently rotatable on said shaft relative to said fixed element and at opposite sides thereof; locking nuts threaded on respective ends of said shaft for clamping said rotatable elements against said fixed element as a reaction member; a circumferential series of normally used characters, including at least the alphabet carried by the circumferential surface of said fixed element as a code-translating reference; and corresponding circumferential series of mutually different code characters, which differ from said normally used reference characters, similarly carried by said rotatable elements, en-

circumferential 1l?- abling the establishment of transversely; 4extendingf series `fof mutually; different 1 code :characters circumferentially. of the fgroupiof lcodeicarryngrrf elements and .in sidewby side alignment with re-"l` spectivel ones 1of said-` 'normally used.: :reference:

5.13 .The combination recited in vclairrrl, wherein4T ateleastione of the=nutsfhas a-sleeveextension concentrically1` encircling; part l ofA -the adj acent" 'l length of; the: shaft, .and one` ofthe rotatablefelefV ments,v is rotatably mounted aonr said sleeve Vexten` sion; aVv Y 6: Th'e combination "recited'in-'cla'im 3,'wherein` two or more ofthe rotatable ielements are joined together'by removable and replaceable fastening meansn t '1.'` The combinationrrecited inclaim', whereinv the rotatable 'elementnadjoining the xed element carriesseveral si'de-by-side aligned, :circumferentiallseriesrof 'code'characteraand thenext adjoining4r rotatable `elementfcarries 'a singlel circumferential' 'series vor code characters'. f"

8. A'coding'device, comprisingy ashaft, afpluv` rality of l character-carrying cylindrical elements mounted in side-by-.side relationship on said'shaft asl axisi saidcelements having `-approximately the'same 'outside-diameters; means securing-one ofsaid :elements in vfixed position fon said shaft,`

others of vsaid elements `lvbeing independently rotatable.-V on 'said shaft relative'tosa'idf fixed element; a circumferential ,series v'of 'normally usedy characters,.'including 'at least the a1phabet,car

ried'fby '-the Vcircumferential.surface Iof "said fixedy element as a code-translating .reference .correa-- spendingA 1 circumferential series. of Amutually ferentf-code characters, which ldiffer vfrom7 vsaid normally used referencecharacters; similarly.'y carried -ibysad rotatable' elements,-v enablinglthe f asse-19a est'ablishm'ent" o1?y transverselyl extending' seriesof Y* mutually. differentfcodel :characters circumferen-'ztially off the; group, fof coda-carrying v:elements vand in fsdextby .side'aalignm'entfwith 'respective ones l 5 all, off said normally used --reference f characters; a:

cradleffjournaling saidfshaft;Y locking means as-fA sociated ,with'sa'id :fcyliridrical elementsv Ifor -pre-.lVY

Venting relative;:tmovementrr of fthose* whichl :are rotatabla-fsaidzvlocking means'f including u afsnut elementi'as reaction member, Vsaid -nut lhaving a shaft 'portion servingias Afa bearing. in conjunc-r tion i'with; saidA cradle', the `latter having: aniopen. .z recess-for the; reception off saidff shaft portion; arf,

'threadedion anfendf'offthef shaft,- so as towbear againstffa"rotatablecylindrical: element" and "exert f1, a clamping action against the xedfcylindricalv straight-edge f-,i pivotallyxr mounted: longitudinally; of tlfie'de'vice'l fori svvngings:intoi'positionV `trans-l'- vers'ely of. the'zgroup:roflthefcylinvzlricalV elementsya.4 saidfstraightr-,edge having dependingile'gs' :pivoted to said ,cradle ;,i;and1 fa circumferential shoulder provided by; said locking, nut,I as :anabutment [stop for a leg oftheftstraight-edge;in the: positioning of the" latter relative A`to I the group of f cylindricall 

